Charming
by mikey magee
Summary: Princess Shelby has run into a fallen Knight. She takes him back to her kingdom and hears his tale, his prince, Prince Tyler, had been captured by the minions of King Sledge. It is up to Princess Shelby, and her allies to bring this fairy tale to a happy ending.
1. Chapter 1

This is a story most don't know. A fairy tale for those who believe in such things. A long time ago, there was a beautiful princess. She was clever, kind, and her subjects cared for her more than any other. And her name was-

"Princess Shelby?" Lady Kendall, the Regent of the kingdom, was always looking here and there for the princess. Scouring the halls, checking the chambers, and the kitchens. No matter where the princess was, trouble always seemed to follow her. At least, that's how Lady Morgan felt.

But unbeknownst to the lady Kendall, the princess was not in her chambers, or helping in the kitchens (as she normally would if time allowed her to.) She was out in the woods, looking for lost gems. Her dark skin, as lovely as an autumn evening, glowed in the morning sun. Her silk dress flowed from her form like a stream from a pitcher. She was never one to stay indoors when there was adventure to be found, and she was never one to seek away from a grand quest…no matter how inconsequential Lady Morgan made them seem.

She walked through the woods, turning over rocks, and jumping over fallen logs (which was quite a feat in her dress).

"…help."

Shelby paused. "H-hello?" She looked around, but saw nothing but foliage. If Lady Morgan were here, she would have told Shelby that she was simply imagining things. But Lady Morgan was not here…and Shelby never ignored a cried for help, imagined or otherwise. "Hello?" She called again, walked slowly forward. "Is someone there?"

"…help…please."

The voice was getting louder, it was weak, but still had enough strength to call out.

"I'm coming," Shelby said, "I promise." On instinct, she ripped her long dress, and shortened it to her knees, allowing her to move freely. Lady Morgan would be upset with her, but some things were more important than a replaceable dress. She ran through the bushes, calling out, "I'm coming, keep calling."

"…I'm….here."

And she ran through the fields, and bushes, past the trees, and then…she stopped, for there was no need to keep searching. For there, against a fallen tree laid a fallen knight, adorned in gold armor.

"Hello?" she said as she approached.

The knight's helmet was ripped from his armor, and his scalp was bleeding. Shelby bent down and carefully brushed his hair back. He was alive. Hurt, and bruised, but alive.

And Shelby would make sure he stayed that way.

* * *

Lady Morgan had seen her highness bring home all manner of creatures. Wounded birds. Hungry cats. Even snakes. But this was the first time she had brought a wounded knight to the castle, and needless to say, Lady Morgan was not pleased of the development.

"Your Majesty," Lady Morgan said, "I must protest. We know nothing of this man, his origins, or what his intents are. He could be a spy for our enemy King Sledge, or a thief out to steal your Royal gem, or-"

"Or a man in need of help." Shelby did not listen to any of Lady Morgan's protests, she simply placed the knight in one of the castle's many chambers, and went to prepare a meal for him.

"Your Majesty, please, at least allow one of the castle guards to keep watch over him. Chase perhaps? You know he would do anything to gain your favor."

Shelby merely shook her head. This wounded knight wasn't even armed, and the last thing she wanted was for him to awaken with a sword pointed to his nose. Chase was a great warrior, but overly protective (and a bit of a flirt). No, she would tend to her guest personally.

She filled a bowl with stew, and a glass with water, and proceeded back to the knight's chambers.

"Your highness, please. Be reasonable."

But Shelby did not listen. Once she reached the knight's chambers, she entered, and placed the meal down on the nightstand.

She looked him over, a lean body that boasted of great agility, and a face that had been molded by courage and service. Whoever this knight was, it was clear he was a loyal one.

Slowly, his eyes began to open.

"Hello," Shelby said as she took a seat next to him, "How are you feeling sir knight?"

The knight merely looked around the room, his eyes wide and wild with worry, until his gaze stopped upon Shelby, and all his fears melted away like icicles in a dragon's breathe.

"…such beauty," he whispered.

And Shelby blushed, but did not allow his tongue to distract her. "Many thanks my good knight, however I must ask, who are you?" And then she mentally scolded herself for being so in polite. This man, whoever he was, had just suffered a great ordeal at the hands of some. He did not need a complete stranger asking him questions he might not be ready to answer.

The knight slowly sat up, "I am Sir Ivan, Knight of Rexar, loyal servant to the rightful ruler, Prince Tyler." Ivan's voice deepened a little at the sound of his prince's name, almost as if he were prouder to say it than he wanted to admit.

"Prince Tyler?" Shelby asked. She had heard of him, a prince from a neighboring kingdom. His father, the king, had disappeared a while back, forcing the prince to search every land he came across, hoping to be reunited with his father. It was one of the saddest stories Shelby had ever heard.

"Sir Ivan, what happened to you?"

Shelby turned to see Lady Morgan entering the chambers, her arms crossed over her chest in a way that told the entire room that she was not to be lied to.

"Of course my lady," Ivan said as he bowed gently from his bed. "My Prince and I were searching the woods of your kingdom, trying to find a clue to the whereabouts of the king. Unfortunately, Prince Tyler and myself were attacked by the minions of King Sledge an old enemy of our kingdom. It is my Prince's belief that Fury, a general of King Sledge, was responsible for the disappearance of his father." Ivan took a deep breath, his hands twitched as he spoke. He eyes changed to a deep dullness…was he trying not to cry? "We fought bravely…" Ivan closed his eyes, "But Prince Tyler and I were over powered. Before long, his majesty had far too many of Sledge's…creatures on him. I tried to draw my sword to defend his majesty, but…" Ivan's mouth scowled, "Prince Tyler ordered me to run. He knew that there was no way I could fend them off alone. I…I…" Ivan pounded the sheets of his bed with clenched fists, and rolled his chin to the ceiling. "I failed him. And now he's been captured."

Such valiance in the face of hopeless odds, such loyalty to his own prince. Shelby had heard of a knight's chivalry, but never had she seen it encompassed so greatly by anyone. Sir Ivan was truly a knight of gold.

But his tale was one of a saddened heart.

"You did not fail, Sir Ivan," Shelby said, "You did everything you could to protect him. And he knew that if you escaped you'd be able to help him later."

"But I am his knight. It is my duty to protect him."

"Well," Lady Morgan said with a tilted head, "I am sorry for your troubles, but there isn't anything we can do about the situation." Lady Morgan was never one for holding back her true feelings, Shelby knew that, but she sort of wished Morgan had held her tongue.

"There has to be something. W-what about our knights?" Shelby asked, "Could they not help?"

Lady Morgan only shook her head, "I'm sorry but that is not a possibility. This is a matter that only the Rexar Kingdom can solve. If we intervene we risk making enemies."

"But Lady Mo-"

"No buts your Majesty. My decision is final."

And Shelby knew that whatever she said, it would not sway Lady Morgan.

"Yes," Shelby said, "Your decision is final. As is mine."

"What do you mean, your Majesty?"

Shelby only turned to face the fallen knight, her hands on his hands, her eyes meeting his eyes. "Sir Ivan," she said, "My kingdom might not be able to help, but I assure you that I can. I will rescue Prince Tyler."


	2. Chapter 2

"Princess, please. Don't do this." When Chase had heard Shelby's declaration, he was automatically against it. Just as Lady Morgan had been. "Please, be reasonable."

"Chase," Shelby said, "You're beginning to sound like Lady Morgan."

Chase rolled his head and tried not to let his frustration show, "Well then perhaps Lady Morgan is wiser than either of us gave her credit for."

Shelby walked into the armory, and glanced at every weapon and shield there was. So many times she and Chase had sparred in this one hall (much to the dismay of Lady Morgan). But if Shelby was going to save the prince, she was going to need a sturdy weapon at her side.

"Shelby, please, just lis-"

"Sir Chase," Shelby said, "How long have you known me?"

Chase took a deep breath. He had known her his whole life, they had practically grown up together. When Chase was learning to use his sword, Shelby was there. When Chase was up, practicing his swordsmanship, and telling tales of how he'd be the next great hero, Shelby was always there to listen. Truth be told, Shelby was his greatest confidant, and his greatest supporter.

"All my life my lady,"

"Then you know that once I've made up my mind, I won't change it." Shelby grabbed a sword and lightly swung it. Her skills in combat were impressive, but would they be enough to keep her safe?

"If you insist on doing this my lady, then I must insist on accompanying you. I and sir Riley shall-"

"No," Shelby said, her voice more forceful than she had wanted it to be. She took hold of a scabbard and sheathed her weapon. "You and Sir Riley must stay here to keep the kingdom safe."

"That doesn't matter," Chase said.

"Of course it matters. You two are the kingdom's best knights and-"

"And you're the kingdom's princess." And remembering his warrior's creed, Chase knelt down on his knee and bowed his head, "And according to the laws of the kingdom, my duty is to my princess, as is Sir Riley's. If her majesty is off to face danger, then she will have our swords by her side."

Shelby looked down at Sir Chase, his countenance more steeled than she had ever seen it. Not even during his own knighting, had he looked so committed. Chase was a flirt, but more than anything, he was a knight who dedicated himself to his cause. No matter the cost.

"Alright," Shelby said.

He rose, "Splendid. I shall summon Sir Riley, and we shall be off."

* * *

Shelby walked back to where Sir Ivan rested. He sat up to bow, but Shelby gently pushed him back down.

"There is no need for such formalities," Shelby said. She had already switched her ripped dress for chainmail and a sheathed sword. But there was one more thing she needed, "Can you tell me where Prince Tyler was taken? A specific point in the forest, or perhaps a place close to it?" It wasn't much, but a little information about where the prince was last seen would yield accurate results, well, that's what Lady Morgan had told her (after she had tried in vain to dissuade the Princess's decision.)

Sir Ivan tilted his head back, "I-I remember there was a stream we past…and then we moved…" he closed his eyes and tried to recall, "The east…yes…it was the east."

Shelby smiled, "Then it is the east we shall go."

"Not without me my lady," Ivan said. "He is my prince, and it is my duty to protect him."

"You," Shelby said pointing, "Are not in any position to do anything except rest and recover. You needn't worry brave knight, Prince Tyler will be safe," She bent down and smiled, "You have my word, for whatever it is worth."

Sir Ivan smiled, "The word of any maiden is one I trust above all else."

"Then all you need worry of is your own strength."

* * *

Waiting at exit of the kingdom, with horses and more supplies than even an army needed, was Sir Ivan, the head of the castle guard, and Sir Chase, the greatest swordsman in the entire kingdom.

"My lady," Sir Riley said with a curt bow, "Are we ready to begin our quest?"

Shelby took hold of her sword, afraid it might fall from her side. She was many things, a princess, a fighter, a leader to her people…and now, an adventure. But most importantly, she was someone who kept her word.

"Yes," she said, "Let us be off."


	3. Chapter 3

"My Lady, are you sure this is the place?" Chase said as the trio made their way into the dark woods, the same place Sir Ivan had told them about. It was just far enough from the castle to be a day's ride off, but still near enough to keep Chase saying, "It's not too late, we can still turn back your majesty."

But Shelby would not be persuaded, and when they did reach the deep sides of the woods, Chase had long since given up trying to talk her majesty out of her quest.

The woods were littered with broken branches, rotted logs, and hoof prints that disappeared into thin air.

"Magic," Sir Riley said. "There's no doubt about it, King Sledge's minions were here, how else could these prints just vanish with no trace?"

"Perhaps," Chase said, "But if magic really is behind this, then how exactly are we to track them? How are we even to get our first real clue to their trail? For all we know, anything else we find here could be misdirection."

"True," Shelby said, "But it's better than nothing, and even still, magic does leave some kind of trail, does it not?"

"Aye," Riley said, "But only to those who understand its workings."

Sir Riley was one of the wisest knights in the kingdom, often Lady Morgan, and Princess Shelby sought after his counsel, but even his knowledge had limits, and magic was one of them.

"Phan out," Shelby ordered, "See if you can find more tracks, or perhaps some kind of cloth. Anything that might be useful, take note of it. We'll return to this spot in twenty minutes."

Both knights nodded, and headed in opposite directions. Their boots trudging through mud as they went. Shelby took a deep breath, and surveyed the land. She knelt down and ran her hands against the hoof prints in the dirt. It was clear, from both Sir Ivan's account, and the battle field that the struggle was immense. Prince Tyler could not have fought off King Sledge's forces, even if Sir Ivan had stayed to offer his aid. One thing was clear, King Sledge wanted the Prince.

But why? The kingdom was powerful, true, but Prince Tyler's kingdom was only one of the many ones that inhabited the lands. There were monarchs who were of even greater power than he, so why take the Prince? Was it out of a grudge? Some kind of warning signal to the other kingdoms? And if so, to what end?

"Your majesty." It was Sir Chase. Shelby turned to the east side of the wood, and saw both Chase and Riley sprinting towards her, a torn red cloak waving from Chase's hand. "We found something."

They handed Shelby the cloak, it was covered in filth, and torn in four different places, but there was no denying it was made from the rarest silk.

"It must have been the prince's." Shelby tucked the cloak away in her saddle bag. "So, what's our next move?"

"We could go to the neighboring towns," Chase suggested, "Perhaps they might know of something?"

"True," Riley concurred, "And even still, we may get more information. Magic only has the power to teleport short distances, so it's likely someone might have seen those villains."

Shelby nodded, "Then we shall be off."

* * *

The closest town was Muese, a small village that liked to think itself bigger than what it really was. While it boasted of big streets, and grand festivities, the place was quite crowded, and finding lodge for the night was difficult, even with Shelby's royal status. But the trio found their way, and found shelter at an Inn. And there, they mulled over their next step.

"No one in this town had even seen one of Sledge's minions," Chase said as he laid against his lodge bed. The Inn was cramped (almost as cramped as this stupid town). The floors were lined with hay, and the windows didn't even open.

"But we've gotta keep trying," Shelby said. They had come too far to simply give up now that a lead had (potentially) run dry. There had to be more avenues from which to search. "Perhaps we're asking the wrong questions? Instead of asking for definite answers, perhaps we could look into rumors? They often lead to results."

"Rarely, your majesty, rarely," Riley said, "More often than not they lead to more trouble than what they are worth."

In an instant, Sir Chase nearly leapt from the bed and out the door, "Alright, as fun as this is, and by fun I mean boring, I think it's time we got out for a bit. Cool our heels with a little revelry."

Sir Chase…always up for a good time.

"Are you mad?" Riley countered, "We've barely just begun and you want to go out chasing skirts now?"

And Sir Riley…ready to counter argue with every decision Chase made. Just like back at the castle.

"I'm just saying we could use some time to relax. Perhaps taking in the sights will ease us into a new way of looking at our situation."

And it was true, Sir Chase often times shrugged his responsibilities to have fun, but this time, he had a point.

"He's right," Shelby said, "A little fun in the town might help us come up with a new plan of action."

With an elongated sight, Riley folded to the will of the princess, "Yes my lady."

And the trio grabbed their coin purses, and ventured out into the city. They visited shops of silk, and taverns that played music far too loudly. Sir Chase got into arm wrestling matches to prove his mettle, Sir Riley visited the book stores and thumbed through old tomes.

And the Princess, despite her wanderlust, could not keep her mind off of the captured prince. She had heard stories of King Sledge's cruelty, and the very thought of Prince Tyler undergoing such torture made her-

"Step right up, come this way!"

Shelby stopped, around her hordes and hordes of people were shoving past, trying to get a glimpse at…something. Shelby moved a strand of hair from her face, and walked forward, following the crowd as they all surrounded a loud man, and a tarp covered moving cage.

"Yes," the man said, "Hurry, come see the marvel." He took a long staff and tapped the cage over and over. "The last savage of a lost tribe. Wiped away by King Sledge. This beast is the last of his kind, and now, here he is for all of you to marvel at." With one sharp pull, the tarp flew off the cage, and inside…sat a man.

Tall, and broad shouldered, the man squatted on what looked to be a broken stool. His chest was bare, and his hair was matted to his neck. The crowd gawked and hooted, and screamed.

"Look at that monster!" One of the women shouted, "Keep it away from the children."

"Yes," the man said, "This creature will snap your child's neck like a twig if given the opportunity. But rest assured," he slapped the metal bars with his staff, "This beast is not getting away."

And the crowed continued to cheer, and scream, and laugh, and take part in stories and jokes…but Shelby never did. All she could do was focus on the man being held inside of that cage. His body doubled over, and his breathing short and sparse.

And that look on his face. The same look Sir Ivan had when Shelby first met him, and the same look Prince Tyler must have had every day he awoke, only to realize he was someone's prisoner.

Hopelessness.


	4. Chapter 4

When Shelby returned to the Inn, Chase and Riley were already there. Their demeanor relaxed, and their bellies filled with ale (well, Chase's belly, either way). And Riley had his nose a book he had purchased from the vendor. Both of them were far more relaxed then Shelby had ever seen them. If only she had felt the same way.

"Your majesty?" Sir Chase said, "Is something the matter?"

But the princess did not answer. She walked over to the window, and stared outside. Back to where that caged man was, held prisoner by someone else. Shelby was a princess true, but this village was outside of her realm and, unfortunately, she held no power.

"Sir Riley," she said, "What do you know about the tribes of this kingdom?"

Sir Riley looked up from his book, scrunched his nose up (a habit he had whenever he began to think) and answered, "There were only a few tribes around here, but most were wiped out by King Sledge and his minions. Rumor had it that he was looking for something."

"Oh yeah," Chase piped up, "I heard that rumor too. Apparently he wiped them out completely looking for some kind of…" Chase rolled his hands, trying to find the word, "mystic stones."

"Stones?"

"Yes," Chase said, "He wiped out an entire group of people just for that…and most people aren't even sure that these 'mystic stones' are even real! Looney, ain't it?"

No…it was disgusting. A whole group of people, families, children, friends, gone. Simply to feed one person's ego. That man. He who had lost not only his family, but his freedom now as well.

"Are there any more of these tribal people left?" Shelby asked.

But Riley shook his head, "I'm afraid not…well, not from what I've read, but you never know."

"And," Shelby said as she placed her hand on the window's glass, "If one of those tribal men were found…what would happen?"

"Well," Riley said, "I suppose it'd be the discovery of the century. A person from a lost civilization, people would pay top dollar to see that!"

"I know I would," Chase said.

Shelby felt her stomach turn inside of her. The idea that you could just gawk at someone who had lost so much, only to for him to lose even more. Shelby had made a promise that she would find Prince Tyler, and she intended to keep that promise. But that didn't mean she would let the injustices she saw go uncorrected. She was a princess, a servant of the people. All people, and she would never, ever turn her back on someone who needed her. It was her solemn vow.

And Shelby turned to them both and smiled, "Good. Because I know where you both can see one, and the good news is, it won't cost either of you a cent."

* * *

Under the cover of night, Shelby, Chase and Riley skulked through the sleeping village. Riley kept looking over his shoulder, afraid someone might recognize them. Shelby might not have had power in this realm, but she was still a princess, and if spotted, the consequences could be dire.

"Your majesty," Riley said, "Are you certain about this? Can't we just-"

"No," Shelby said. "Sorry Riley, but I can't just leave this town knowing that this man is still a prisoner."

"But-"

"No buts."

They crept through the town, hunched low as to not arose too much notice. Riley had already packed their things, and stashed the horses on the outside of the village as to make a quick getaway. All that was left was-

"There," Shelby said pointing. On the other side of the street sat the iron cage, and the man that it held prisoner. Without thinking, Shelby rushed over, with Riley and Chase trailing behind her. The bars looked much stronger up close than they had that afternoon.

"H-hello?" she called out. Shelby wrapped her hands around the cold metal and leaned forward. There, in the dark corner, sat the man. His face was smudged with dirt, and his hair was tangled into too many knots to count. "C-can you understand me?"

The man looked up, and slowly crawled on his hands. Even though his face was smudged with dirt, Shelby could just glimpse the kind eyes that lay beneath. He opened his mouth "I…" he pressed his palm against his chest, "…Koda."

"Koda?" Shelby nodded and leaned in, "Koda, listen, we're going to get you out of here. Okay?"

But Koda shook his head, "No…stay." He spread his arms out wide, "Bars are safe."

"But," Shelby said, "Y-you're not free. Y-you're trapped here. Don't you want to-"

"Want stay," Koda said, his voice cracking under its own strain. "Family…gone. Little brother…gone. King Sledge…destroy." Koda shook his head, and his long mane waved. "No reason…to leave…family gone."

Riley gently tapped Shelby's shoulder, "Your majesty, if he wishes to stay then-"

"No," Shelby said. It wasn't right. None of it was. No one deserved to be someone else's prisoner. Not Tyler, and certainly not Koda. "You said your family was gone?"

Koda nodded his head. "All gone."

"B-but how do you know that? How do you know your little brother is gone, or that you're the last of your tribe? Have you searched? T-there maybe more." Shelby leaned deeper into the cage, gently brushing Riley's hands away from her shoulder. "Koda, I can't promise you'll find something, but I do know that you'll never know if you just sit here and give up. Maybe more members of your family are out there, maybe you're not the only survivor, but you'll never know unless you get out."

What was she even saying? Giving false hope? Trying to convince someone of a dream that may never come to pass.

"Is it…true?" Koda asked.

"I don't know…but I'm more than willing to find out." She reached her hand out, through the cage bars. "How about you?"


	5. Chapter 5

So, Shelby's rescue party had grown from three to four. Riley's sword and knowledge, Chase's ability and charm, Koda's strength and shield (something Shelby had bought for him) and finally, Shelby's spirit. And together, they would rescue the captured prince.

The group had already left the previous village, and had now spent the better part of the morning riding west. Koda riding double with Chase, Riley going over the maps once more, and Shelby at the lead.

"We couldn't find any leads in the other city, but perhaps there are other placed King sledge's minions might have run off to," Shelby said. "Any suggestions?"

Riley folded his map in frustration. "I have some theories, but the only logical place Prince Tyler could be is at the villain's stronghold itself, and no one knows where it is…let alone how to get there."

Shelby looked up into the sky. "There has to be some way, or something we can do."

Koda scratched his hair. "Wait," he said. "I know…legend says…great sorcerer who live in mountain. Old enemy of Sledge."

"What?" Riley asked. He was supposed to be the scholar, and he had never heard of this. "What great wizard?"

Koda continued, "My people…we know of this legend. This great…sorcerer. He show us his magic."

There had never been a record of this man, not in any of the books, or stories Sir Riley knew of. Could this have been knowledge that was known only to Koda's people, and if so, was that the reason why King Sledge wiped them out so quickly? Theoretically, if Koda's tribe were the only ones to know of this sorcerer, and were now gone, there was no one to pass on the knowledge of this man, or where to find him. Sledge would be virtually impossible to locate, or defeat.

"Koda," Shelby asked, "What else can you tell us about this wizard?"

Koda scratched his head, "Hard…to find…but he lives deep…within the mountains of Stars."

"I've heard of that!" Sir Riley shouted…almost a little too loudly. Shelby wasn't sure if he was excited about being able to provide knowledge, or to know something that others did not, once more. "Those mountains are on the far side of the eastern kingdom. The journey is treacherous, and there's never been anyone whose journeyed and returned to tell of it."

"Well," Shelby said, "We'll just have to be the first."

The group continued to travel through the forest, the sun began to set, and Sir Chase suggested they build camp for the night, and Shelby did not argue. They tied their horses, gave them water, started a fire, and allowed the night to engulf them in its world. Shelby had only ever camped out once, a long time ago. The smell of adventure, and freedom called to her for the first time…and in her own way, she chased it.

Koda sat on the far side of the fire, away from Riley and Chase's horseplay. What was it about those two that brought out so much competition between them?

Shelby stood, and sat down next to Koda. He had been helpful, there was no doubt about that, but there was still something wrong. Koda was free, but he still wore that same pained expression that Shelby saw when she first met him.

"Koda," she asked, "Is everything alright?"

"My…brother," Koda began, "I…used to play…and protect him…all the time."

Koda's voice was as soft as velvet, and as distant as a star's light. She understood what it meant to lose the ones you cared for. The princess had lost her parents when she was very young. It was a fairy tale cliché, and yet it was the life she knew. A princess who was without a king and queen. A lady in waiting who watched over her. It was her parents who took her out at night. It was her father who kissed her neck gently, and her mother who whispered songs in her ear.

And with each passing day, Shelby feared she would forget those memories.

"I know how you feel Koda…believe me, I do."

"But…how?" Koda asked.

Shelby merely shrugged. "Believe me…I've known loss." After her parents passed, Lady Morgan stood by her side. She had assumed power until the princess was ready to take the throne herself. Shelby was allowed to roam, and search for that call of adventure. The strong need for freedom that her parents had given her. A search that made her feel as though she were closer to them now more than ever.

"Lady Morgan, a friend of mine," Shelby began, "Says the best thing to do when it comes to loss…is to share it." She placed a strand of her own hair behind her head, "At least then, it doesn't feel like you're feeling it alone." She knew she had no right to ask this of anyone…let alone Koda…but still. "Would you like to tell me about your brother?"

And Koda smiled. "…yes. I'd…love that."


	6. Chapter 6

The group had moved from one town to the next, making their way towards the grand forest that surrounded all the kingdoms. If what Koda said was true, then they needed to find this sorcerer in order to rescue Prince Tyler. And if it were true, how would they manage to reach the mountain to find him? It wasn't as if any of them could sprout wings and fly there.

At the end of the forest sat a small town called Frostbite, no one really understood why it was called that, Winter was as uncommon in this part of the kingdoms as rubies in farming soil. Sir Riley believed that this town would be suitable to rest the night and then in the morning, their journey could continue. They had found a lovely little inn in the center of the town to lodge. Hopefully they'd find a suitable place to fill their bellies as well, at least, that's what Sir Chase hoped.

"Come on," Chase said, "I saw the most lovely pub down the square."

"Chase," Riley said, "We don't have time for that. We need to come up with a strategy."

Shelby had used the gold she had brought with her to pay for their stay, Lady Morgan had insisted on her carrying at least a little coin for the journey, despite her trepidations. The Inn was cramp, and had hay in every corner of the place. Even the beds were lined with straw. It looked more like a barn than a place to lodge. Koda was sprawled across the floor, looking out through the window at the clouds, at least he didn't seem to mind.

"Riley is right," Shelby said, "We need to find a way to get to Dredd's castle. While we sit here, who knows how Prince Tyler is fairing?" Shelby hadn't forgotten her promise to Sir Ivan, Knight of the Rexar Kingdom, nor had she forgotten the look on his face when she found him hovelled and broken that day. A brave knight who had lost his prince, his sword cast away in the corner of a castle. Unable to move. Unable to fight. Shelby knew the honor that knight's possessed, and to them, the shame of losing their charge was a fate worse than death. The duty of a leader is to prevent suffering, is it not? And what kind of a leader would she be if she allowed a wrong to go uncorrected?

"Shelby!" Koda screamed and leapt from the window. "Fire!"

"What?" Shelby ran towards the far side of the room, and peered out into the sky. In the center of the square was a small house on fire, people screaming and running from the village center to the ends of the forest. They were terrified.

"What is going on out there?" Sir Chase asked.

"I don't know," Shelby said, "But I'm going to find out."

* * *

The town was in chaos. People screamed and ran and clutched their children tightly. When Shelby and the rest got to the town square the fires seemed to surround half the village.

"Run! They're coming! They're coming," screamed and elderly woman as she stormed past Shelby. The princess had never seen such terror before, and certainly not up close. But, that didn't mean she wasn't going to do everything she could to stop it.

"Your majesty," Chase said, "Look!"

There in the distance, walking in erratic chaos, with swords and crossbows held high, were the Vivix, foot soldiers for King Dredd. They stood terrifying and tall in their white armor, and soulless visors. They marched through cities and towns setting places ablaze. Rumors have it that King Dredd was searching for something, but no one could find out what. Even news of this devastation had reach Shelby's kingdom, but Lady Morgan always refused to interfere.

"We can't afford to make enemies, your majesty."

For too long Shelby, and her kingdom had sat by and allowed terror to inflict others. That's not what her parents had taught her. She was more than just a princess, she was a leader with a responsibility to others. And she was done allowing evil to flourish.

"Men," Shelby said, as she drew her sword, "This destruction ends now."

Koda drew his shield, Riley took hold of his sword, and so did Sir Chase.

"Knights, we shall defend this village!" Shelby said, and lead headfirst into the burning inferno that was the battlefield. Neither Sir Chase, or Sir Riley could have stopped her. Not Lady Morgan. Not even boulders from the sky. This was a fight…she would win.

The battle was furious. Sir Chase and Sir Riley took arms, and slewed foot soldier after foot solider, Koda used his shield to protect those from incoming arrows, and ushered the young and elderly to safer ground. But no one fought harder than Princess Shelby. In her youth, she practiced her swordsmanship, she dueled with the different knights of the kingdom, and learned. Lady Morgan always objected, but Shelby paid her no mind. A ruler must learn to fight for her people.

And Shelby did that willingly. She thrusted her sword, parried against attackers, caught glimpses of the scared villagers who escaped the burning wreckage, children searching for their families, destroyed lives that could never be whole again. She would not allow this to continue.

Not for the villagers. Not for Prince Tyler, or his knight Ivan, not for Koda, who had lost everyone he ever loved, and certainly not for anyone else. Shelby's armor became torn, her hair was pulled, her skin peeled from her bones like the rinds of an orange. But she pressed on. She had to, for all of their sakes.

And when the dust cleared, and the Vivix retreated, all that was left was a gleaming sword, and burning town, and a declaration.

"This village is under the protection of the Watkins crown," she yelled, "Come here at your peril!"

They probably did not hear her, but it did not matter. The promise was struck. And a queen's word is more valuable than emeralds.


End file.
